Back on again after storms

As the storms seem to have cleared through and we are now bathed in sunshine, I am back on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) and 6m FT8 RX after a very brief TX period.

The impression I am getting is there is less Es than a month, or so, ago. There is still Es but not as frequent.

UPDATE 1454z: A couple of stations copied my brief 6m FT8 CQ. Best DX was a spot by G6GEI (91km).

UPDATE 1604z: IZ1AZJ (967km) was recently spotted on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1612z: Nothing at all on 10m WSPR TX.

Kangaroo - NOT amateur radio

My younger son is with his family visiting the Australian in-laws. Here is a shot of one of our granddaughters feeding a kangaroo. Actually, I think the joey is helping itself!

QRT - storms

Just before 1300z, there was thunder forecast (and it came) so I went QRT on all bands and disconnected everything. Although it is still raining, the forecast for the rest of the day is now better. I may come back, this time on 6m FT8. As there are still plenty of storms around, I may wait a bit.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en .

MLS offers

Yet again, I received a "something for the weekend" email from Martin Lynch. They also have offers on other items.

See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/ .

Sunspots - Saturday August 5th 2017

Solar  flux is 74 and the sunspot number 13. A=23 and K=4.

7 countries on 6m MSK144 so far

Since yesterday, I returned to 50.280MHz MSK144 RX. So far, 7 countries spotted. There seem to be most users of this mode on the old frequency rather than the new.

Return to 6m MSK144 - but on 50.280MHz

After reading some of the recent comments, I have returned to MSK144 on 6m, but on 50.280MHz RX.  Already I have spotted PA5JS (370km).

More OFCOM rubbish?

Sorry, but my personal view is OFCOM seems incompetent. Recent tests on VDSL seem to re-enforce this. Is OFCOM really saying the noise pollution of the spectrum, especially in cities, is not getting worse? If so, they must be plain stupid. Even in my village it is much worse than 20 years ago. Please OFCOM get real. There is more to life than money. Sometimes I hear/read nothing but bollocks.

In the USA you have the FCC.

Perhaps OFCOM assume we only go on the internet and digital radio/TV? Well, if you know very little or nothing, about radio you might think that.

See http://rsgb.org/main/files/2012/12/VDSL-RFI-RSGBOfcom-meeting-June-21-2017.pdf

Busy bee - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon we visited the walled garden at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk. This bee was busy collecting pollen.

6m FT8 RX

After a day on 6m MSK144, I have now gone on 6m FT8 RX monitoring 50.313MHz.  Already spotted G0MBL (130km) in Kent.